Tsai and Cheng reportedly rented an apartment, installed an air conditioner and put up special wallpaper to reflect light in order to grow cannabis.

According to prosecutors in Taichung, Cheng, 38, bought cannabis seeds over the Internet and in April, Tsai, 41, rented an apartment in a bustling area of the Central Taiwan city with the purpose of cultivating the plants.

In May, police discovered marijuana cigarettes in a vehicle parked in the basement of the apartment building. They later found electric heaters, other marijuana-related paraphernalia and more than 150 cannabis plants in the apartment itself.

According to police, Tsai's creditor, surnamed Wang, had agreed to accept marijuana as repayment for a NT$45,000 debt.